Regulator for furnace-electrodes



DVHS-SEN. REGULATOR F08 FURNACE ELEGTBODES.

APPUcATmn min DEL-.12, m9.'

Patented Dec. 13, 192L 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

a subject 'of the King tric furnaces.

' by the 'heat of the arcs:

' ation of 'the furnace.

,UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE.

DYRSSEN,

OIE NEW YORK, 1\1'.Y.v

nneunuroaro ru*nuAcir-nnncrnonns.y

Speeication'bf Letters-Patent.

Application led December 12, 1919.4 Serial No. 344,324.'

Twill whom t may concern:

.Be it known that. I, WALDEMAR DYRssEN, of Sweden; residing in the'city, county, and State of New 'York,

have invented certain new and luseful Improvements in Regulators for Furnace-Electrodes, of which the following is a specification.

' VThis invention refers to hoisting and regulating mechanism especially applicable for raising and lowering the electrodes in elec-. Certain types of' electric furnaces have vertical electrodes, 'usually threein number, which'weigh approximately one ton each. Arcs are struck between these Aelectrodes' and the material on the hearth ofV .lowered to the proper point or raised to the properpoint. The tendenoy in suon a case is for the-motor-to overrun in -either direction, thus the electrode .ioats up and down, never giving the exact regulation required. With the improved apparatus herein l shown the feed regulation is made intermittent and the electrode caribe adjusted to the exact position desired and if a change takes place in the furnace during intervals of rest, so that regulation becomes unnecessary, the movement of the'l electrode does not' 'take vplace and the regulation on the whole is better. In electric furnaces using three electrodes and three-phase electric current, itis important that `the lifting or lowering Y movement of electrodestakes placev one at* a time and'not-two or three at a time. If 1Ine Amovement of the charge in the furnace causes a short circuit and asurge of current, it is important to be able to lift all the electrodes ,quickly, aswith three-phase current, the arcs are interdependent and the lengthening of one arcwill assist to prevent the rushV of. current through another.v It is preferable that the small intermittent movements of the electrodes be accomplished automatically and it is desirableto be able Patented Dec. 1'3, 1921.

to cliange rapidly from automatic -to nonautomatic control.

' @ne 'of the objects of my invention is toV provide anautomatic mechanism for raising.'

and lowering electrodes according to 4variations-in the heating current. pass-.ingy

through the electrodes. Another object is to prpvide .automatic means for intermittently ralsing and lowering the Yelectrodes successively. A further object is to provide mechanism whereby the electrodesma-y ,be raised or lowered automatically -at a slow rate of speed accordingto. iiuctuations of the -power current, and means whereb athey may be raised and lowered rapidly un' er the manual control of .an operator. A still further object is to provide mechanism for automatically adjusting the electrodes in combination withl manually co'nt-rolled mechanism for rapidly' moving the. elec' trodes, these separate devices being inter.-

lockedso that it is impossible for 'an foper' ator to effect' the rapid movementof the electrodes vwithout rst disconnecting the devices which perform the 'automaticregulat'ion. Another object is to organize the varlous elements described' herein so they will effectively perform their various functions. Other'objects will be apparent fromv the following specification andtheappended `claims when Iread in connection with the accompanying drawings in which-' Figure 1 is aview Iillustrating in vertical section a typical form 'of electric .furnace equipped with my improved regulating mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing the Igeneral arrangement of hoisting apparatusarranged to move the electrodes of' a furnace having three' electrodes Fig. 3 is. an enlarged view in planillus-4 I trating. certain detailsr of construction and arrangement;

4 is a vertical section ,on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 showing fthe selective means which determine the direction in -which the electrode is adjusted;

Fig. 5 is a clrcuit 'diagram illustrating the arrangement of the electrically operate controls.

In the drawings a typical form of electric l furnace 1 is provided with electrodes 2 each of which are carried on a verticallyzadjustable bracket 3A arranged to slide up and down Qupright, with a winding drum 7 Iwhich. is"

'secured to ashaft- 8' secured in bearings 9 supported on a suitable base .10. The mechanism for' moving 'each' of lthe .'electrodes'- 2 is identical and therefore `,a. detiled de v'scriptionjof one will suiiice forthewthr'ee.

"A worm wheel 11 is secured to the. drum shaft' 8 .and isl arranged to lbedriven byV a vworin 12 carried by a shaft 13" which is 'Supported in suitable bearingsv 14 carried byv the base 10.- This shaft has rigidly secured thereto a ratchet wheel 15 and a beveledgear 16 by means of which it may be driven either continuously or intermittently as hereinafter described. l

` A main" drive lshaft 17 supported in suitable bearings 18 isv driven through gears 19 and 20'by'an electric -motor 21. This" ...supplying one vthe'electrodes 2. The 'curs l .y

rent from coil 39 .excites an` ami'nete'r '43 which in turn'actuates a switch 42.' vWhen the current flowing through feed wire 41 drops,'."switehA 42 will rn'ake' contact with point 44A thereby-closing alocal circuitand A energ'iing the 'solenoids 38 and causing the' ratchet to be turned infthe' direction ofthe turned to, lower the"electrode,l and thereby decrease thev resistanceof'the, are.- In f lar manner when the current 1n 'feedw1re4'1'f becomes excessive, 'the ammeter 43- will moveinto Contact with -po'int45Qand actuate tlieratchet in the opposite direction f thereby turningthe `drunifso as to raiserthe electrode and increase'the' resistance -of the f shaft 17fis common to the'three secondaryjand 38 is sup'plied'by vfeed wires'146 and 47 ytrodes in either direction according to which gear is engaged by the clutch-member' 26.'

'For eifecting the '-slow automatic '.vertical 'adjustment of the electrodesin either direction Iv provide an oscillating frame 29 Fig- 4, which is fulcrumed onl the'shaft 13 and arranged to be roekedby va'cranlr 30 secured to the shaft 17 bymeans 0fa lconnecting.link

31. This oscillating-frame carries a double acting feed dog 32 having teeth 33 and 34,

` the dog beingl pivot'ed on a stud secured `to the fr aln'e "and'havinfa tail 36Y extendingV4 upwardly therefrom. `he 'frame 29 sup-- ports a pair of solenoids-37 and 38y which are arranged so that the movement ofthe core 39 .thereof will lmovez-the tail ofthe dog so `astocauseeither of the teeth 33 '.or 34 to co-actwith theratchet thereby pro- 'viding selective means whereby the shaft.

, 13 can' be Inoved in opposite directions so4 that the electrodes will beeither -raised or lowered by the cable attached to the drum To automatically control the direction of i i `the fvertical adjustment of the electrodes, -Iv

haveprovided means whereby either'sola i noids 37 or 38 canbe'energized vaccording towhether a current of .comparative high or lowr strength is flowing through the ,particular electrode' controlled by said solenoids.

Referring to Fig. 5, I provide a secondary coil 39 of a transformer 40 which receives an'dthese solenoids' are in a circuit including wire's48 and 49,? a switeh"50,"wires ,51' land, and 52and 53, the switchl 42, wires 54,

.51a l'.55andtiv.' The wires 48 and 55' 'serve as branchf'eeders for each of the units A, B 'and C which control the different electrodes.

Ea'ch unit is'wired up'in the same manner as. theone herev deseribedand the descrip-A tion of one will apply to each unit, except it.

lis to be n oted that as shown inthe diagram the contact making vammeters 43 for the Iunits B and (lare actuated by a current induced by the transformers 59 and 60 respectively associate with theelectrode feed wires 61 and 7 he circuit of motor 21 i'scontrolled bydouble polel switch 80 connected across v'the feed wires 46 and 47.

Current lfor the electrodes is furnished by a suitable threefphasedynamo 100 throughl transformerlOl and wires 41, 61 and 71 lso and' a main'gang-switch 90 is provided to control the flow of current therethrough.

. .In order tomake it 'impossible for the operator to,throw the clutch 26- while the automatic- 15, I switch 50 controlling/asupply of-current to thesolenoids 37 and 38 are interlocked with the lever 27 which operates the clutch. This feed is vbeing eifected vby ,the ratchet have l provided means whereby the,

interlocking arrangement is 'illustrated in Fig. 3 where-it will .be seenthat'fthe shaft I 28 to which the clutch lever.27 is secured has -fastened thereto a sector-81 provided with a'notch-.82, which is eng'agedby av spring pressed latch 83'arr'ange'd to' be moved 'by the switch'lever 50. l/.Vh'en the. switch lever is in? clo'sed position it engages' contact 49@ thereby closing the circuit from feed wire 47 In'this elosedposition the clutch its `induced current from the feed wilieil 82in'the sector 8L hence it S llPOSSlt0 cannotbefrocked because of the eni 12b, at' this point for either .ofthel solenoids 37 p- Lsaaese feed be so etfected that no two electrodes are moved at the saine time. and therefore,

therewith, it beingunderstool ,the clutch lever to be'thrown.

fio4

'active strokes.

thel cranks 3() which. operate the different. electrodes, whichfinthe case iilustrateth are three in number, are set at an` vamgular distance of 120 degrees apart, as shown 'in dotted lines in Fig. si. Therefore, as the shaft 17 rotates, one electro-de will be feeding while the oscillating frames for the other two electrodes are on theirbacltward or inn operation assuming;l the electrodes to ybe atthe high position, the switch SO is first' closed'to start the motor-21 and the lever 27 is thrown so as 'to shift the clutch into engagement with the gear 2Q; This will cause the shaft 'i3 to be' rotated. clockwise as shown ,in Fig. 4, thereby turningt-he drum 7 in the proper direction for paying; olf cableso as to lower the electrode connected 'that the switches 50 must first be opened to permit After the electrodes have been lowered approximately to the'desired position the clutch 26 will be disengaged andi the main switch 9() for supplying current to the electrodes will be closed, thenthe switches 50 for cutting in the automatic feed willV be closed. Variations in current flowing to thc electrodes will then actuate the various contact makingammeters 43 thereby moving the switches 4Q and closing` the circuit for either of the solenoids 37 or 38 according; to whether the said electrode current is above or below a determined strength. rthis will .cause the ratchets l5 to be turned in a direction determined bythev solenoid energized `thereby raising' or lowering;- the particular electrode as the case may be. The parts are so proportioned that when the drums 'l' are driven at high speed tnrough the gears 2:2 or Q3 and 1G these drums will rotate approximately one revolution per minute which will result inl moving' thc. electrodes at the rate. of about thirty inches per minute. lVhen the automatic feed is--in operation the electrodesv are moved at a much slower rate, there beine,l l2 teeth in ratchet l5 and said ratchet driven by the cranks 3.0 which in turn are driven through thereduction bevel gearing` 30a shownv in Fig. 3. 'These partsare so proportioned thatfat this time the electrodes are. moved at the rateof tivel inches kper mine ute or onetwelfth of an inch per seconder Y per stroke of the connecting rod 3l.

@f eourse'the parts may-heproportioned didierently so'as to Iedect crterent rates cf teeth but experience shows this .rate of adgustment to he an effective one. if noreguiation is required dueto an even liow of current to the electrodes and general favorable conditions inside of the furnace. the electrodes will remain atrest, it being understood that the feed dog 32 at such time will be held in the central position shown in Fig. el by means of the centering springs 36, it being clear that at such times the electrodes cannotmove downward by gravity due to the self locking action between the worm 12 and its mating wheel ll. In the event of the charge in the furnace shifting or other conditions effecting' a short circuit, it is necessary to rapidly raise the electrodes and at suchtimes the switches 5() will be opened and clutches 26. operated so as to engage the gears Q3 thereby rapidly turning the drums 7 in the proper direction to raise the electrodes.

The apparatus herein disclosed is a marked improvement over the devices heretofore employed and by its use a more even regulation of' the temperature in the furnace is obtained and consequently the character of the metal treated is inu'n-oved.

its it is clear that changes in ari-anecment and construction may he made hy those skilled in the art without'departing from the invention it is intended that all matter described herein and shown on thc. accompanying 'drawings shall he interpreted in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense.

That I claim is:

l. An Velectric furnace having` a plurality of electrodes and automatic means for intermittently moving the electrodes successively to vary the resistance ofthe arcs at different times so that no two electrodes are moved simultaneously.

An electric furnace having` av plurality of kelectrodes and automatic means for intermittently movingthe electrodes in sequence at dierent times to control thc strength ot' current flowing to the electrodes.l

In combination with an ele{ti'itfurnace. a plurality of electrodes. drums having cables secured thereto for moving' said electrodes. a motor` connections between said motor and said drums for intermittentlhv moving` said drums at diti'crent times so that no two electrodes are momd simultaneously. Y

el. n combination with an electric furnace. a plurality of electrodes. drums havingr cables secureduthereto for moving said electrodes., amotor. connections between said motor. and said drums for intermittently movingsaid drums at different times solthat `.no two electrodes arc moved simultaneously and,y means controlled by the strength. of currentflowingf through the ico " el'ectrode-current diminishes the electrodes are lowered andas said current increases the electrodes are raised.

' 5. Incombination with an electric fur- 'nace, aV drum having a vcable connected thereto-for moving an electrode, a motor for driving said drum, and connectionslbetween said'motor and said drum whereby the drunican be driven continuously at a high speed-"or intermittently at a lslow 'speed..' Y

6. Iii-'combination with an electric furnace, -a drum having av cable connected l thereto for moving an electrode, a motor for driving said drum, andconnections'f between Said motor andv said drum whereby the drum can be driven continuously at a high speed or intermittently at a slow speed, and means controlled by the current {iowing'to the electrode for controlling the dif iection in -which said drum. is intermittently moved.

7. In combination with an electric, furnace, a drum having fa cable connected A thereto for moving .an electrode, a maindriveV shaft having reversing gearing carried thereon, a secondary shaft'connected by said gearing to said main shaft, a reversing clutch normallydisengaged from said reversing gearing, means for moving vsaid clutch to effect the rapid rotation of said vdrum in either` direction, a ratchetuwheel securedto sai secondary shaft and means carried by the :nain shaft for actuating said ratchet wheel. c

8 In combination with an electric furnace, a drum having 'a' cable connected thereto for moving an electrode, a maindrive shaft having reversing gearing carried 40 thereon, a secondary shaft connected by said gearing vto said main shaft, a reversing clutch normally disengaged'from said reversing gearing, means for moving said .clutch to effect the rapid rotation of said drum in either direction, a ratchet wheel se-I cured to said secondary shaft Aand a feed dog normally out of engagement with said ratchet, means for moving said feed dog v linto operative engagement with said ratchet and means actuated by the main shaft for moving said feed dog to effect the movement of said ratchet.

9. In an electric furnace, a drum for moving an electrode, a shaft having a gear 'thereon for turning said drum, a ratchet Wheel secured to said shaft. an oscillating bracket supported by said shaft and carryin a feed dog arranged to move said ratchet wlfieel in opposite directions, a palr of solenoids carried by said oscillating frame concurrentuflowing to the electrode, means i n-f cluding a normally disengaged clutchfor rotatlng said shaft at a highl speed and' means associated therewith for breaking the circuit to said' solenoids to prevent the op? eration of said feed dog when said clutch-is engaged to drive said shaft'.

v10. In combination with an electric fur` nace, a plurality of electrodes, drums having cables connected thereto for moving said' electrodes, secondary shafts for turning said drums, ratchet wheels secured to said shafts, oscillating frames supported on said shafts, feed dogs carried lfy'said oscillating frames, electro-magnetic means for'moving said feed dogs-to position to co-act with said ratchet wheels, cranks set at different angular positions for rocking said frames in such sequence and direction thatno two electrodes will `be either vraised or lowered simultaneously and a main shaft for driving v 11; `In 'combinationwith an electric fur- .nace, a drum having .a cable connected thereto for moving an electrode, asecondary shaft for driving said drum, a main shaft, reversing gearing connecting said shafts, a-l reversing clutch on said main shaft, a lever for operating said clutch, a Iratchet wheel` A v'secured to said secondary shaft, an oscillating frame carrylng a feed dog adapted to l co-act with said ratchet wheel, a crank driven by said mainshaft for oscillating said frame, solenoids for moving said feed do to operative position, a switch for contro ling the crcuit'vof said solenoid and 100 means associated with said switch whereby the said clutch lever is interlocked with said switch so vthat it cannot be actuated until after the circuit of said solenoids has been Y broken by the switch. 105.

moving said feed dog ,to operative' position,

a relay actuated by' the current fiowingll through the electrode andarranged to ma e a circuit through one of said solenoids. W enA the' electrode current drops and through the other f said solenoids when said electrode currerz raises to respectively zlower or' raise '120 said -e ectrode, means ,for moving -the clutchon the main shaft and a switch interlocked therewith for breaking the circuit to said solenoids when th clutch is actuated.A

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto 12J signed my name.

WALDEMAR DYRSSEN; 

